Italian Leather
by You're My Town
Summary: Slightly angsty Chuck/Blair story about past and regrets.


_"This time it was just **right**. This time we knew what the future held for us. All the plotting, all the scheming and all the lies. This time we knew better than to let all those things define us. Our love was no longer defined by the darkness that existed in both of us, but the light it produced. The way we looked at each other, the way we would hold each other at night and just be. Together. For Chuck and I there were no longer you and I. The cheating, the games and the pain, it was all gone. Left was consuming, can't-live-without-each-other love. Left were just us two, me and Chuck, Chuck and I. Us. "_

I recognized him solely on his footsteps. The way his slightly chafed Italian leather loafers hit the floor one deliberate step at a time. How they were slightly further apart than at any other person, as to subtly emphasise the burden my dark knight was carrying. It was as if each and every step told the story of a man who whisked a princess-to-be away from her prince and how such a selfish act had deprived her of her unborn child. Maybe it was just because I knew every chromosome of his being that I imagined such dark things about the man I loved. Or maybe it was because I knew his darkest secrets, his deepest regrets that I put such depth into everything he ever did or said. I could feel my body getting tense, my heart beating faster and my breath getting slightly caught as I got up from the sofa to great him.

"Hi, Chuck!"

A pause. I could feel his brown-eyed stare shifting from his feet to me. To my great concern the silence continued. It was not like Chuck to keep silent about his day. Not now, months after, when all skeletons were out of the closet and the mind games had finally ended. We were finally happy, content even, with the life we had built together over the last few months.

"Chuck, stop! You're worrying me. C'mon, look at me!"

I reached for his hand, but he merely responded by balling it into a fist and turning even further away from me.

I though we had left all this behind.

"I'm sorry, Blair."

I immediately knew were this was coming from. We were right back to the guilt stage. Chuck was one of the strongest and most closed off creatures I had ever met, but when it came to me there was no room for failures.

"How can you even look at me after what I did to you, huh? How can you sleep next to me every night knowing I deprived you of a happy life with Louis? You could have been married right now, with a little bundle of joy in your arms and a bright future ahead. Instead you are stuck here in this penthouse with me, knowing there will always be darkness waiting in the wings, threatening to destroy you in a heartbeat. I killed your child, for God's sa—"

I leaped forward and slapped my hand hard over his mouth before he could utter another word.

"Chuck Bass, now you listen to me! And listen carefully because I will only say this one last time. You have lied, cheated, played cruel tricks on me and stomped on my heart more times than any other man would dare to do. You once traded me for a hotel, left me hanging for years and practically made me beg for you to love me. But you do, and I know that now. I know you, Chuck. _The worst thing you've ever done, the darkest thought you've ever had, I will stand by you, _remember? I was in love with the idea of Louis and I, but love was never part of that relationship. And that car accident was not your fault, nor was me losing that child. It was never meant to be, Chuck, don't you see? It was never meant to be!"

"But-"

I slapped my hand even harder, resulting in Chuck grabbing onto a nearby chair for support.

"No more buts", I continued. "No more heartache or sorrow or apologies or what-ifs. Just love me Chuck! Just love me for the rest of our lives and promise me to never look back"

"I—" He tried, looking straight at me for what felt like the first time. I could see the guilt in his eyes, how he begged me to leave, to just get out while I could.

"No, Chuck. No more".

I forced his fingers open and took his slightly bigger hand in mine.

"C'mon, lets go to bed".

I gave his hand a little tug and squeezed his fingers carefully as to awaken him from his trance.

I could see the corners of his mouth twitch slightly and soon I heard the familiar sound of Italian leather against marble following behind me.

"Yes, a nap next to you sounds heavenly, my princess".


End file.
